


Endure and Survive

by booktick



Category: The Last of Us
Genre: Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-09
Updated: 2017-05-09
Packaged: 2018-10-21 06:22:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10679508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/booktick/pseuds/booktick
Summary: "Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, I had somebody that I cared about. It was a partner.... Somebody I had to look after. And in this world, that sort of shit's good for one thing — gettin' ya killed. So you know what I did? I wisened the fuck up. And I realized it's gotta be just me."





	Endure and Survive

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own none of this franchise.
> 
> A/N: Just a fun, upbeat fic about the Texan brothers' relationship (And Tess!).

* * *

 

Endure and Survive. Shit came from a comic book, he couldn't fucking believe it. But he had Ellie at his hip, told him all the things she learned from those comics in her backpack. It wasn't as if Ellie didn't know though. Hell, anyone who stepped outside knew. The world was not a welcoming presence, there were dark corners where clickers tore out throats and hunters beat down tourists with a pipe. People couldn't count on each other anymore, can't cover someone else's back when they could put a blade in yours. Just how things were.

"So, your brother thought the Fireflies were like...what? Heroes?" Ellie would ask.

"Hell if I know." Joel would reply.

World ain't built for heroes anymore, maybe it never had been. The best thing a person could do in this world was have a knife in one hand and an arm around a hunter's neck. Joel could have dropped off a good dozen before he remembered his knife. Maybe he should read those comics...it'd beat dragging up the past.

With every step though, it was a reminder. A chronic disease in the pit of his gut. Just another damn reminder of Tommy. At the time it had felt like abandonment to Joel when Tommy left, later on he thought otherwise. Tommy wanted to live, Joel wanted to survive. They hadn't exactly seen eye to eye, even in their last time interacting. 

Tess had been there, shit, she'd been able to get in a barb or to herself. The trio had been going over the subject they always went over: Marlene. Tommy had been a go between for Marlene and them. The scrappy, young messenger that had been loyal to a point until eventual boredom would kick in and, it _would_ kick in. Joel knew Tommy better than Tommy did himself, maybe the same could be said in reverse.

Tess liked Tommy, as the phrase used before, to a point. Tommy was useful in Tess' opinions. Being a Firefly apparently had its' advantages, it sure had a shit load of disadvantages as well. That's the part Tess glazed over when it came to potential deals. But using his brother...that wasn't Joel's style. That's what he told himself in the beginning.

Joel had been against it from the start but Tess...well, Tess had ideas of her own. Marlene had access to places they didn't. It wasn't like Bill was gonna come to Boston himself, so they needed alternate routes just in case of threats--hunters weren't the only thing out there. What Tess wanted, Tess found a way to smuggle to get it. So when Tess wanted passage for certain routes she couldn't get to herself, who better to ask than Judas herself. Nothing that crossed Marlene's pass fit the lock of the door, they always had to pick the damn door in the end of it. 

As for Tommy...

Tommy had a mind of his own, which by all accounts from Joel, was trouble. 

"She's gonna get you killed. Or have you killed tryin' to save some else. You know that, right?" Joel was an expert on making a tense situation worse. 

Tess sighed at both of the men's immaturity and pointed to various parts of the map as she went on about how they smuggle out the crates easier or faster here and there. But that with that in the air, they'd need friends. Not that Tess had friends, unless they counted Joel or the random amount of friendly ration eager hands from the depths. Not even Bill really, then again Bill was Bill. Joel didn't even know where the hell Bill lived in that town of his--better luck finding a Church than Bill probably. 

Joel heard the skid of wood to floor though. He had briefly zoned out, too focused on what he considered plain stupidity from Tommy. He looked at Tess and she had moved out of Tommy's access. He got to his feet fast enough to avoid the table being shoved right into him. It flipped just as Tommy was on a landmine of personal injury to his pride and loyalty.

" _Fuck that_ ," Tommy had waved his arms in the, table on its' side "I am so fuckin' done. I'm not Robert. I'm not gonna be used to meet the ends."

Joel remained where he stood, his arms at his sides and fingers curled into his palms. His fists didn't shake like Tommy's, they were still and ready. His brother had burned bright, while Joel remained raw. His light went out in Texas and that's how it was staying. Tess though, she had been leaned in the corner, arms folded and even rolled her eyes at their display. 

"You hear me, Joel?" Tommy stuck his finger at him.

"And what the hell is that 'spose to mean, Tommy?"

"Yeah, you skippin' out on the deal? We had an agreement, Tommy." Tess hummed.

" _Tess,_ " Joel took the deepest of breaths "Not now."

First names are used to emphasized, he had read that somewhere. Tommy sure had been making a point to keep saying his name. All nicknames had vanished from Joel's mouth about the same time Tommy joined the Fireflies. Not that it changed their positions much. Tommy had always tried to find equal footing with Joel. That sure as hell wasn't gonna be found with someone like Marlene.

"No.  _You_ proposed a deal and I told you _both_  to go fuck yourselves. You want Marlene, you go to her yourself. I ain't buyin' what you're sellin', Joel. _Tess_."

" _Tommy_." Tess gave an unwanted reply.

Joel drooped his eyelids, his lips tugged. He watched as his brother close in on him. His brother's steps were heavy and smothered his ears. It deafened the sputter of spit that his his cheek. He lifts his arm and wipes it with his sleeve. As his arm lowered, Joel met Tommy's contempt. He matched it with his own. 

"Good one, Tommy. You sure showed me." Joel mocked, hushed as if it were a secret. 

"This ain't a fuckin' joke, Joel!" 

Maybe he didn't know his brother as well as he thought and maybe Tommy didn't know shit. It'd been Joel's pride that forced the wall to grow even higher between them both. It didn't help when Joel scoffed at Tommy's exclamation. 

"Sounded more like an opener." Tess chimed in.

"Are you gonna listen to her like she's been there since the start?" Tommy huffed.

The little shit had just become the kettle to his pot. Tess wasn't Marlene, that's what Joel kept telling himself. Tess would never do the things Marlene had done. What the Fireflies did...that wasn't them. They were survivors. That wasn't their crusade. That wasn't Tommy's guilt to hold onto. Tommy fucking knew better...

Or at least he used to think Tommy did.

"Shit, Joel. I was there when Sarah-" 

And that had been some mighty fine ice that Tommy had walked upon.

When Tommy raised his hand enough to grab Joel by his shirt, even tore the fabric, there had been a shift in the air. Joel shoved his brother hard enough for Tommy to lose footing. Joel grunted as Tommy got a good hook in as he went down with the ship, the ship being Tommy's dignity. Joel rubbed his jaw, heard the crack. He would probably have to lose a tooth, not like there were denists lying around. As for his brother, well, Tommy landed ass first on the floor with Joel's shadow over him. 

"Joel-!" Tess had moved from her corner, back on high alert.

Joel shook his head at her, hell, even that hurt. His baby brother sure had one hell of a swing. That Texan spirit buried deep inside or whatever it was Tess called it. He wondered briefly how it had felt for all the bandits and hunters Tommy had hit through the years. If Tommy could hit him like that, his brother...then who the hell were they to each other anymore?

"This ain't a joke..." Tommy repeated faintly.

"Marlene's crew has always been a joke, Tommy."

Joel went to the crate that substituted for a chair. He yanked the half full bottle of whatever alcohol had made it through the years. Tommy had gotten to his feet by then, his chest heaved and breaths rasped. Joel downed what his throat could take with one swig. He looked back at his brother, all contempt folded back for brief worry.

The duo stared at each other for some time before Tommy straightened his back best he could. Joel took one step forward and Tommy one back. Tommy put a hand up, it had been his turn to do so for some time, maybe months, probably years. People don't get as far as they had by letting someone else call the shots. 

"I'm leavin' this place, Joel. I'm done. I'm leavin' the Fireflies."

Relief washed over Joel like the reward of a cold shower.

"Finally you make some sense-"

"I'm leavin' you, Joel." 

The wound wasn't just opened, it had been torned apart by Tommy's hands. 

Tommy reached and grabbed his fallen coat from the floor. He'd need that with Boston's snow and all. Joel forgot how to walk, remained where he stood with a bottle in hand. Tommy breathed something fierce, heavy and guttural. Joel hadn't meant to shove him that hard, he just...

 "I," Tommy had taken a breath and swallowed before he continued, "I don't ever want to see your goddamn face again."

"Tommy..." but what was left that hadn't been said?

His brother didn't look back at him as he headed to the door. Joel felt the air leave his lungs, they filled with resentment and panic. His eyes widened but he said no more. He watched his brother go, the door trembled as it was slammed shut. Tess is the one who took the bottle from him, who had picked the table up and put it on all four.

"Come on, Texas..." Tess patted his shoulder once or twice.

Joel blinked quicker for a moment's breath. He swallowed hard. His voice clawed at his tongue, tried to have him choke on the crawling that had gone along his spine and chest. He wasn't going to let Tommy smother him. He wasn't going to stop breathing for his brother's ignorance. He let his head fall, eyes settled on the table. 

The bottle of booze had been placed on top of the table. 

Well, how about that...

The bottle was half empty. 


End file.
